Shield panty



Nov. 6, 1951 E. R. sUTTER 2,574,132

SHIELD PANTY Filed July so, v1949 INVENTOR.

Patented Nov. 6, 1951 SHIELD PANTY Edward R. Sutter, Chicago` Ill.,assignor to Beau- T-Form Foundations, Inc., a corporation of IllinoisApplication July 30, 1949, Serial No. 107,804

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a detachable shield pantie for a foundationgarment and has as a general object to provide a new and improved shieldpantie of the character described.

A more particular object of this invention is to provide a shield havinga divided rear portion which may yield laterally of the shield torelieve stresses normally occurring in the shield such as those producedwhen the wearer bends forwardly from the Waist or assumes a sittingposition.

Another object is to provide a shield having a yieldable rear portionwhich remains flat in all relative positions of the yieldable portions.

Another object is-to provide a shield having a pair of superposedcentral strips of material divided at their rear portions to providelaterally yielding portions f the shield for the comfort of the wearer.

A further object is to provide a shield having a laterally yieldablerear portion comprising separate overlapping tabs formed by folding therear portions of central pieces of material in a particular manner,

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a shield embodying the features of thisinvention and illustrated in the position it assumes on the wearer;

Fig. 2 is a partial plan View of the rear portion of the shieldillustrating in dotted lines the parts thereof in laterally spreadposition;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3--3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken approximately along the line4 4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken approximately along the line5-5 of Fig. 1.

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications. andalternative constructions, it is here shown and will hereinafter bedescribed in a preferred embodiment. It is not intended, however, thatthe invention be limited thereby to the specific disclosure made but onthe contrary it is intended to cover all modifications and alternativeconstructions falling within the spirit and scope of this invention asdefined in the appended claims.

As shown herein for purposes of disclosure, the shield comprisesgenerally a main or central piece, generally designated Ill, a 'dividedrear portion of the central piece or rear portion of the shield, meansfor detachably securing the shield (Cl. 12S-149) to the front and rearof a foundation garment and chafe preventing portions, generallydesignated II. The central piece IIJ is shaped to conform to the spacebetween the legs to have the shield flt smoothly and comfortably andprevent folds of excess material which would itself chafe the wearer.The chafe preventing portions II are attached to either side of thecentral piece and depend between the thighs of the wearer to preventcontact and chang between the flesh of the thighs.

The central piece Ill is constructed of an upper strip I2 and a lowerstrip I3 of material as best seen in the cross-sectional view of Fig. 5.The marginal edges of the strips I2 and I3 are in registry from thefront I 4 of the shield to a point indicated at I5 in Fig. 1. From thepoint I5 to the rear of the superposed strips I2 and I3, each strip isfolded upon itself to form separate tabs 2I and 26. The upper strip l2is.` folded on a bias I6 with the folded portion I'I positioned underthe upwardly exposedr surface of the strip I2. As best seen in Figs. 4and 5, one edge I8 of the folded portion I'I is aligned with themarginal edge of the strip I2 and the other or free edge I9 of thefolded portion I'I extends across the strip I2 between the marginaledges thereof. Textile stitching 20 binds the upper and lower centralstrips l2 and I3 together and also binds the edge I8 of the foldedportion I I to the marginal edge of the strip I2. The folded end portionof the strip I2 thus forms the tab 2| which is part of the rear supportfor the shield as hereinafter described.

The lower central strip I3 is folded, in a manner similar to thatdescribed above for the strip I2, at its rear portion on a bias 22 whichcrosses the bias I6. The folded portion 23 of the strip I3 is positionedabove the strip I3 as. best seen in Fig. 4. One edge 2t of the foldedportion 23 is aligned with the marginal edge of the strip I3 and thefree edge 25 of the folded portion eX- tends transversely of the stripand is positioned between the strips I2 and I3. The folded end portionof the Strip I3 thus forms a second tab 26 which partly supports theshield in position on a foundation garment. Textile stitching 20a bindsthe marginal edges of the strips I2 and I3 (the right-hand edge viewedin Fig. 1) and also binds the edge 24 of the folded portion 23 to saidmarginal edge.

A bias tape 2l is sewn to the front edges of the strips and supportsapertured halves of snap fasteners 28 which cooperate with headed halvesof the snap fasteners which are attached to strips v29 usually securedas by sewing to the front sur-v face of the foundation garment. At therear of the shield, a strip 30 of elastic material is sewn to the end ofeach tab 2|, 2G and supports an apertured half of a snap fastener 3|which cooperates with a headed half of the snap fastener which isattached to a strip 32 usually secured as by sewing to rear surface ofthe foundation garment. The snap fasteners and adjoining strips supportthe shield in its proper position detachably from a foundation garment.

When the shield is attached to a foundation garment worn by a person,the tabs 2l and, 26 at the rear of the shield are free to move laterallyone relative to the other as required. As an example, when the wearerassumes a sitting position, the back side of the foundation garmentgives or stretches circumferentially thus moving the fixed supportingstrips 32 further apart. In

.s uch position the tabs will move to the position illustrated in dottedlines in Fig. 2, relieving the lstress which would otherwise be appliedto parts of the shield. This yielding of the tabs provides a morecomfortable shield for the wearer than those without yieldable rearportions. As seen in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, the tabs, 2|, 26 overlap alongnaturally press the iiesh of the thigh inwardly.

Even in the case of Women of average build and particularly in stoutWomen, this causes the flesh on the inside of the thighs to rub togetherin direct contact and chafe. To prevent this direct contact and chafing,chafe preventing portions Il are attachedto each marginal edge of thecentral stripslto depend therefrom and lie between the thighs of thewearer when the shield is being worn. When the wearer is walking therubbing occurs between the portions Il and prevents chang. Each portionIl has a concavely shaped upper edge 33 to conform to the curvature .ofthe central strips when in worn position. This structure allows thecentral strips to assume the proper relation to the wearer withoutcausing the chafe preventing portions to gather in folds of excessmaterial.

It is believed apparent from the foregoing that I have perfected avastly improved detachable shield for a foundation garment. The shieldhas a shaped construction to eliminate all excess material that mighteither bulk or be uncomfortable.

`The novel structure at the rear of the shield allows the wearer afreedom of movement without placing stress on the shield which furtheradds to the comfort of the wearer.

I claim as my invention:

1. A detachable shield for a foundation garment comprising incombination, two central superposed strips of material extending fromfront to rear of the shield, said strips being narrowest at anintermediate point and becoming progressively wider in both directionsaway from the intermediate point, sewing joining said strips along theirlongitudinal marginal edges from the front to a point just beyond thenarrowest portion of the strips, the rear portion of each strip beingfolded upon itself to form a substantially triangular double layer tabwith the base of the triangular tab extending between the longitudinalmarginal edges of the strips and the apex thereof positioned near theend of and at the marginal edge of the strip, said tabs being formed onopposite sides of the strips and being adapted to dation garment.

2. A detachable shield for a foundation garment comprising, incombination, a pair of central superposed strips of material extendingfrom front to rear of the shield, said strips being narrowest at anintermediate point and becoming progressively Wider in both directionsaway from the intermediate point, each of said strips terminating in aseparate tab disposed at opposite marginal edges of the strips at therear of the shield, said tabs including the end portion of the stripsfolded on a bias so that one edge of the folded portion is aligned withthe marginal edge of the strip and the free edge thereof extendstransversely of the length of thestrip, means at the front of the stripsand on each tab adapted to cooperate with means on the front and back ofa foundation garment for removably attaching said strips to the garment,textile stitching along the longitudinal marginal edges of the strips tobind the strips together and an elongated piece of material sewn to eachside of said central strips to depend downwardly therefrom between thethighs of the wearer when the shield is suspended from a foundationgarment.

3. A detachable shield for a foundation ga.r ment comprising, incombination, a pair of cend tral superposed strips of material extendingfrom front to rear of the shield, said strips being sewn together attheir longitudinal marginal edges from the front to an intermediatepoint of the shield, each strip being folded on a bias from saidintermediate point to the rear of the shield forming a substantiallytriangular shaped tab at the rear of each strip, said tabs being formedat respectively opposite marginal edges of the strips, said tabs beingadapted to move laterally relative one to the other to provide ayieldable rear portion of the shield, means for removably attaching theshield to the front and back of a foundation garment and an elongatedpiece of material sewn to each side of said central strips to dependdownwardly therefrom between the thighs of the wearer when the shield issuspended from a foundation garment.

4. A detachable shield for a foundation garment comprising, incombination, a pair of superposed strips of material extending fromfront to rear of the shield, said strips being narrowest at anintermediate point and becoming progressively wider in both directionsaway from the intermediate point, the rear portion of each strip beingfolded on a bias to an opposite longitudinal side of the strips forminga separate supporting tab, textile stitching binding said stripstogether along the marginal edges thereof and securing an edge of thefolded rear portion of each strip to a marginal edge of the strips, andmeans on the front and on each tab adapted to cooperate with means onthe front and back of a foundation garment for removably attaching saidstrips to the garment, said separate tabs being adapted to movelaterally relative one to the other to provide a yieldable rear portionof the shield.

5. A detachable shield for a foundation garment comprising, incombination, a pair of super` posed strips of material extending fromfront to rear of the shield, said strips being narrowest at anintermediate point and becoming progressively Wider in both directionsfrom the intermediate point, each strip having a rear portion folded ona bias to form a triangular shaped tab with the apex of one of saidtriangular shaped tabs disposed at one marginal edge of the strips andthe apex of the other of said triangular shaped -tabs disposed at theopposite marginal edge of the strips, a strip of elastic materialattached to each tab and projecting rearwardly of the shield, means atthe front of the strips and on each said elastic strip of materialadapted to cooperate with means on the front and back of a foundationgarment for releasably attaching the strips to the garment, and saidtabs being adapted to move laterally one relative to the other toprovide a yieldable rear portion of the shield.

6. A detachable shield for a foundation garment comprising, incombination, a central piece of material extending from front to rear ofthe shield, said piece having a rear portion folded on a bias andbecoming progressively narrower toward the rear of the shield, the endof said rear portion being disposed at one of the marginal edges of thepiece, an auxiliary piece of material superposed for at least a part ofi-ts length over said central piece, said auxiliary piece having a rearportion folded on a bias crossing the bias in the rear portion of saidcentral piece and becoming progressively narrower toward the rear of theshield, the end of the rear portion of said auxiliary piece beingdisposed at the rear of the shield near the side thereof opposite -theend of the rear portion of said central piece, said rear portions beingadapted to move laterally7 of the shield to provide a yieldable rearportion of the shield and means attached to the front and rear of thepieces for releasably attaching the shield to the front and rear of afoundation garment.

7. A detachable shield for a foundation garment comprising, incombination, a central piece of material extending from front to rear ofthe shield, said piece being narrowest at an intermediate point andbecoming progressively wider in both directions from the intermediatepoint, the rear portion of said piece being folded on a bias to form atab disposed at one marginal edge of the piece, an auxiliary piece ofmaterial partially superposed over said central piece and having a rearportion folded on a bias crossing the bias in the rear portion of saidcentral piece and forming a tab disposed at the opposite side of thepiece from said rst named tab, textile stitching binding said piecestogether along their longitudinal marginal edges, means attached to thefront of the 'central piece and to each .tab adapted to cooperate withmeans on the front and rear of a foundation garment for releasablyattaching the pieces to the garment, and said tabs being adapted to movelaterally of the pieces to provide a yieldable rear portion of theshield.

EDWARD R. SUTTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 951,184 Gillam Mar. 8, 191024,375,543 Faegre May 8, 1,911.9

